Image
© Unknown
Taiwan's National Fire Agency says at least 12 people have been injured after a strong earthquake jolted the southern part of the country.

The 6.4-magnitude quake shook Kaohsiung County early Thursday, but no tsunami alert was issued.

The incident disrupted transport and also caused at least one large fire.

Rail service in southern and central Taiwan was suspended, as was the state-of-the-art subway system in Kaohsiung city, Taiwan's second largest.

In Tainan, a fire broke out in a textile factory shortly after the quake hit, sending huge plumes of black smoke billowing into the air.

Power outages struck in the capital city of Taipei and at least one county to the south.

Kuo Kai-wen, director of the Central Weather Bureau's Seismology Center, said the quake was not geologically related to the massive temblor that hit Chile last Saturday.

The quake's epicenter was near the town of Jiashian. The Ministry of Defense said troops were dispatched to the area to report on the extent of the damage.

In 1999, a 7.6-magnitude temblor in central Taiwan killed more than 2,300 people.